Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has left for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she is expected to be endorsed as the African Union (AU) Champion for Maternal and Child Health.
She will also witness Burundi formally assume the Chairmanship of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, while Tanzania is set to serve as Second Vice-Chair, representing the Eastern Region.
A State House statement issued on Thursday, February 12, 2026, and signed by Director of Presidential Communications Bakari Machumu, said President Hassan departed for the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for February 14 and 15.
“Among other matters, the 39th Ordinary Session will consider and confirm the incoming AU Chairperson. Should President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi be endorsed, he will succeed outgoing Chairperson João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola,” the statement read.
Tanzania’s designation as Second Vice-Chair, representing the Eastern Region, highlights the AU’s confidence in the country’s principled leadership and commitment to continental integration.
According to the statement, if endorsed, President Hassan’s role as AU Champion for Maternal and Child Health will further showcase Tanzania’s long-standing efforts to strengthen health systems, promote family well-being, and advance human capital development across Africa.
Ahead of the Assembly, the statement said that on February 13, the President is scheduled to attend a meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), hosted by Kenya’s President William Ruto.
She will also attend a State Dinner hosted by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali.
On the Assembly’s margins, President Hassan is expected to hold high-level bilateral meetings with several continental and international leaders, including Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini of Eswatini, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah.
“These engagements aim to consolidate political dialogue, deepen economic cooperation, and advance shared development priorities,” said the statement.
The 39th Ordinary Session will be held under the theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”.
The theme reflects member states’ determination to strengthen water security, promote public health, and accelerate sustainable and inclusive development across Africa.
Tanzania is concluding its tenure on the African Union Peace and Security Council, having served two consecutive terms from 2022 to 2026.
During this period, the country contributed significantly to continental efforts to promote peace, stability, conflict prevention, and post-conflict reconstruction.
On maternal and child health, Tanzania has recorded remarkable progress driven by strategic investments and innovative programmes.
Over the past two decades, maternal mortality has dropped by 80 percent, while the under-five mortality rate has fallen by one-third, according to the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey.
These gains reflect Tanzania’s comprehensive approach to maternal, newborn, and child health, supported by groundbreaking initiatives, including the expansion of healthcare access.
Nearly 2,000 new health facilities have been established, bringing quality care closer to communities and enabling more women to receive skilled care during pregnancy and childbirth.
Another initiative, the m-Mama programme, has ensured safer deliveries in health facilities by addressing critical gaps in emergency transportation and maternal care.
Efforts to combat malnutrition, including programmes targeting stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, and general malnutrition, have also improved health outcomes for women and children nationwide.
Through these interventions, Tanzania demonstrates its commitment to safeguarding the well-being of mothers and children and advancing human capital development, reinforcing its leadership role within Africa.
